Neodeightonia arengae sp. nov., Botryosphaeriaceous taxa on Arenga tremula (Arecaceae) from Guangdong, China

Microfungi associated with palm are a significant fungal group with a unique ecological niche and a broad distribution in tropical regions. Even though many fungal species have been reported from palm hosts, studies on fungi from Arenga tremula are considerably few. In this study, we isolated a saprobic Botryosphaeriaceae species on A. tremula, collected from Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. Morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), small subunit nuclear rRNA gene (SSU),part of the large subunit nuclear rRNA gene (LSU) and translation elongation factor 1−alpha gene (tef 1-α). Based on phylogenetic results and morphology we introduced Neodeightonia arengae sp. nov., with species description and illustrations. In addition, we provide a comparison of morphological characters of currently accepted Neodeightonia species. This is the first report of a Neodeightonia species associated with Arenga tremula and so represents an additional contribution to the knowledge of fungi associated with palm trees.

Management of Deleterious Effect of Fusarium oxysporum Associated with Red Palm Weevil Infestation of Date Palm Trees

Red palm weevil (RPW) is a dangerous pest that infects the date palm tree and makes tunnels in the tree’s trunk. RPW infection is followed by secondary invaders of microorganisms that cause degradation of the trunk tissues leading to toppling the crown and death of the tree in a short time. This study showed that Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht. was the common fungal species isolated from the root and trunk tissues of the date trees infested with RPW, which recorded 100% of frequency. Pathogenicity of 4 isolates of F. oxysporum was confirmed on date palm seeds and seedlings. The results confirmed that all isolates involved in rot of the germinated seeds (40–100% incidence), root rot, and death of palm seedlings (20–100%) under artificial infection as well as degradation of date palm petioles. Application of 20 L/palm of systemic fungicide (Topsin) at 1% as foliar and soil drench of date palm for successive three times successfully reduced development of the deterioration and suppressed the growth of F. oxysporum. Interestingly this fungicide did not suppress the growth of Trichoderma viride Pers. So, our results recommend this fungicide to suppress the pathological and degradable activities of F. oxysporum during the integrated pest management of RPW on date palm trees.

Levantamento Florístico da Área de Proteção Ambiental (APA) da Lagoa da Maraponga, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil

A Área de Proteção Ambiental (APA) da Lagoa da Maraponga é uma unidade de conservação municipal localizada no bairro Maraponga, município de Fortaleza, estado do Ceará. Composto predominantemente por um ecossistema lacustre, no qual se destaca a Lagoa da Maraponga, com área de 31 hectares, ameaçada pela ação antrópica, fazendo com que a conservação se torne uma prioridade. Objetivou-se fazer o levantamento florístico da APA da Lagoa da Maraponga e elaborar um guia de campo. Foram realizadas coletas botânicas, observações de campo, fotografias e identificações das espécies. Registraram-se 98 espécies pertencentes a 82 gêneros e 37 famílias botânicas. As famílias mais representativas foram Fabaceae (18 spp.), Malvaceae (13 spp.), Asteraceae (dez spp.), Rubiaceae (cinco spp.), Arecaceae, Convolvulaceae e Solanaceae (quatro spp., cada). Constatou-se que o hábito das espécies tem como predomínio o porte herbáceo (41 spp.), seguido de espécies subarbustivas (19 spp.), arbóreas (17 spp.), arbustivas (dez spp.), trepadeiras (sete spp.) e palmeiras (quatro spp.). Conclui-se que esta área tem demonstrado que mesmo com a interferência humana e o grande avanço da urbanização em seus arredores, a flora local apresenta elevada riqueza de espécies nativas que precisa ser conservada, mantida e reconhecida por políticas públicas e pela sociedade, as quais podem ser auxiliadas pelo guia de campo elaborado. Floristic Survey of the Environmental Protection Area (EPA) of Maraponga Lagoon, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil A B S T R A C TThe Maraponga Lagoon Environmental Protection Area (EPA) is a municipal conservation unit located in the Maraponga neighborhood, in the municipality of Fortaleza, state of Ceará. Composed predominantly of a lake ecosystem, in which the Maraponga Lagoon stands out, with an area of 31 hectares, threatened by anthropic action, prioritizing conservation. The objective was to carry out the floristic survey of the EPA of Maraponga Lagoon and to prepare a field guide. Botanical collections, field observations, photographs and species identification were carried out. A total of 98 species belonging to 82 genera and 37 botanical families were registered. The most representative families were Fabaceae (18 spp.), Malvaceae (13 spp.), Asteraceae (ten spp.), Rubiaceae (five spp.), Arecaceae, Convolvulaceae and Solanaceae (four spp., each). It was found that the habit of the species predominates the herbaceous size (41 spp.), followed by sub-shrubs (19 spp.), trees (17 spp.), shrubs (ten spp.), climbing plants (seven spp.) and palm trees (four spp.). It’s concluded that this area has shown that even with human interference and the great advance of urbanization in its surroundings, the local flora has a high number of native species that need to be conserved, maintained and recognized by public policies and society, which can be assisted by the field guide prepared.Keywords: Urban biodiversity, conservation, vegetable diversity, richness, conservation unit.

Exogenous Application of Melatonin and Methyl Jasmonate as a Pre-Harvest Treatment Enhances Growth of Barhi Date Palm Trees, Prolongs Storability, and Maintains Quality of Their Fruits under Storage Conditions

Fresh date palm fruits (cv. Barhi) have received much attention due to their sweet taste and popularity in marketing. There is a critical need to prolong their storability, as well as maintain their quality during the postharvest and marketing periods. In this study, the effects of spraying date palm trees with melatonin (Mt) and/or methyl jasmonate (Mj) at 10, 20, and 50 ppm, on their growth and yield were investigated. In addition, impacts on quality and storability of the fruits were also studied. In general, application of Mt was mostly more effective than that of Mj, even at 50 ppm, with regard to all evaluated parameters. However, the dual treatment at 50 ppm recorded the highest relative chlorophyll and nutrient content in date palm leaves, as well as the yield and its components. Regarding the date palm fruits stored at 4 °C for 28 days, this dual treatment recorded the lowest weight loss and fruit decay values (0.14 and 2%, respectively), the highest firmness (6 g·cm−2), total soluble solids content (36 °Brix), total sugar content (32.5 g/100 g fresh weight), and the lowest total acidity (0.16 g citric acid/100 mL juice). Moreover, the highest total phenolic content and activity of peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase enzymes in the stored fruits were also recorded for the dual treatment. In contrast to the untreated fruits, scanning electron microscopy observations showed that the sprayed fruits had a very good microstructure, showing intact and thick exocarp tissue with a dense layer of epicuticular wax. The mesocarp tissue showed a normal and clear cellular framework with well organized and arranged cells, after 28 days storage at 4 °C. Based on these results, we can conclude that application of the dual treatment (Mt + Mj) at 50 ppm is a promising way to prolong the storability of date palm fruits and maintain their quality during storage periods.

Analisis Kelayakan Usaha Pembuatan Gula Merah Di Kelurahan Kassa Kecamatan Batulappa Kabupaten Pinrang

Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di Kelurahan Kassa Kecamatan Batulappa Kabupaten Pinrang dari bulan Agustus sampai bulan September 2019. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui faktor-faktor produksi ( pohon aren, harga gula merah, biaya produksi, jumlah pohon, jumlah produksi). Pada pendapatan pengrajin gulan aren di Kelurahan Kassa Kecamatan Batulappa Kabupaten Pinrang. Jenis data yang digunakan adalah analisis regresi berganda. Hasil penelitian ini kemudian diolah menggunakan rumus analisis Pendapatan. Variabel yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini ada lima yaitu harga gula aren, biaya, volume produksi, tenaga kerja, jumlah pohon. Hasil penelitian menunjukan variabel harga gula aren dan jumlah produksi berpengaruh nyata terhadap pendapatan sedangkan biaya, tenaga kerja dan jumlah pohon tidak berpengaruh nyata terhadap pendapatan pengrajin gula merah. Hasil uji F disimpulkan bahwa variabel bebas sangat berpengaruh terhadap pendapatan pengrajin gula merah. Hasil uji R square menunjukan bahwa 98,9% variabel pendapatan pengrajin gula merah dapat dijelaskan oleh variabel jumlah pohon aren, jumlah produksi, tenaga kerja, dan harga. Sedangkan 1,1% dipengaruhi oleh variabel lain yang tidak di ukur dalam penelitian This research was conducted in Kassa Village, Batulappa District, Pinrang Regency from August to September 2019. This study aims to determine the factors of production (palm trees, brown sugar prices, production costs, number of trees, number of production). On the income of palm sugar craftsmen in Kassa Village, Batulappa District, Pinrang Regency. The type of data used is multiple regression analysis. The results of this study were then processed using the analysis formula income. There are five variables used in this research, namely palm sugar price, cost, production volume, labor, number of trees. The results showed that the variable palm sugar price and the amount of production had a significant effect on income, while the cost, labor and number of trees had no significant effect on the income of the brown sugar craftsmen. The results of the F test concluded that the independent variable greatly influenced the income of the brown sugar craftsmen. The results of the R square test show that 98.9% of the income variable of the brown sugar craftsmen can be explained by the variables of the number of palm trees, the amount of production, the labor, and the price. Meanwhile, 1.1% is influenced by other variables that are not measured in the study.

Optimizing Field Development in South Sultanate of Oman Through Deep Water Disposal Dwd Reclassification

The South Oman clusters A and B have reclassified their Deep-Water Disposal wells (DWD) into water injection (WI) wells. This is a novel concept where the excess treated water will be used in the plantation of additional reed beds (Cluster A) and the farming of palm trees (Cluster B), as well as act as pressure support for nearby fields. This will help solve multiple issues at different levels namely helping the business achieve its objective of sustained oil production, helping local communities with employment and helping the organization care for the environment by reducing carbon footprints. This reclassification covers a huge water volume in Field-A and Field-B where 60,000 m3/day and 40,000 m3/day will be injected respectively in the aquifer. The remaining total excess volume of approx. 200,000m3/d will be used for reed beds and Million Date Palm trees Project. The approach followed for the reclassification and routing of water will: Safeguard the field value (oil reserves) by optimum water injectionMaintain the cap-rock integrity by reduced water injection into the aquifer.Reduce GHG intensity by ±50% as a result of (i) reduced power consumption to run the DWD pumps and (ii) the plantation of trees (reed beds and palm trees).Generate ICV (in-country value) opportunities in the area of operations for the local community to use the excess water at surface for various projects.Figure 1DWD Reclassification benefits Multiple teams (subsurface. Surface, operations), interfaces and systems have been associated to reflect the re-classification project. This was done through collaboration of different teams and sections (i.e. EC, EDM, SAP, Nibras, OFM, etc). Water injection targets and several KPIs have been incorporated in various dashboards for monitoring and compliance purposes. Figure 2Teams Integration and interfaces It offers not only a significant boost to the sustainability of the business, but also pursues PDO's Water Management Strategy to reduce Disposal to Zero by no later than the year 2030 This paper will discuss how the project was managed, explain the evaluation done to understand the extent of the pressure support in nearby fields from DWD and the required disposal rate to maintain the desired pressures. Hence, reclassifying that part of deep-water disposal volume to water injection (WI) which requires a totally different water flood management system to be built around it.

Greening the Desert While Helping Business and Caring for the Environment

This paper describes the utilization of produced and treated formation water for planting trees and growing algae in large ponds; in a massive scale in South Oman. A detailed study has been carried out to assess the injection requirements for pressure maintenance in the producing reservoir and using the remaining excess pot-treated water for farming of the palm trees. The produced water has been used as disposal in formations deeper than the producing horizons in the past. The produced water was separated in a processing station that received gross production from a number of fields in South Oman. This water was disposed in the aquifer underlying a producing reservoir that has experienced pressure maintenance due to this disposal. The impact of this excess water disposal on the aquifer was studied to evaluate the risk of breaching cap rock integrity. The risk was not significant but to ensure "no damage to the environment and people" it was decided to reduce or optimize injection rates to maintain the reservoir pressure safeguarding reserves. In addition, the disposal of the water required significant amount of power equivalent to emitting significant amount of CO2 annually just for water disposal. The study was carried out using simple material balance methods to predict the pressure behaviour given an injection profile. The recommendations from the study have already been implemented to convert the deep-water disposal to injection in the aquifer. This has been achieved by the integration of number of interfaces from sub-surface to field operations. All the pieces are in place to take it the next level of execution that is to treat the water at surface for oil removal, hence rendering the water at acceptable quality levels for tree plantation and algae ponds. The project also aims in a future second phase to further treat the water to higher specifications allowing the use of it for agricultural purposes. This would introduce a commercial farm that will depend on this source of water. This would be a novel concept in South Oman where the treated water will be used for farming solving multiple issues at multiple levels namely helping the business achieve its objective of sustained oil production, helping local communities with employment via farming and helping the organization care for the environment by reducing carbon footprints.

Carnaúba (Copernicia prunifera (Miller) H. E. Moore uma nova hospedeira de Raoiella indica Hirst (Acari: Tenuipalpidae)

The red palm mite, Raoiella indica Hirst, 1924 (Tenuipalpidae), has been spreading rapidly and expanding its host range in the Neotropical region. Most of the hosts are palm trees (Arecaceae). In the present work, high population levels of R. indica are reported on “carnauba” [Copernicia prunifera (Miller) H. E. Moore, Arecaceae] in the states of Alagoas and Ceará, northeastern Brazil. This is the first report of R. indica causing damage and injuries on this palm tree native to Brazil in field. Our results allow us to conclude that carnauba is a suitable host for R. indica, with potential risk to its cultivation and exploitation.

Growth of Palm Trees and Woods in the Urban Environment

Trees in the urban environment provide several ecosystem benefits to the population, such as decreasing temperature, increasing humidity, shading, improving air quality, as well as physical and mental well-being. These can be enhanced through the knowledge of the growth of the trees in function of the characteristics of the place where they are inserted. Thus, the objective was to estimate the growth in diameter, height and volume of forest species in the urban environment, in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. For this, woody individuals and palm trees present in the urban afforestation of the headquarters campus of the Federal University of Viçosa were selected based on age and had their diameter, breast height and height measured. Allometric equations specific to the study site were used to estimate their volume, and through the relationship with age, the average annual increment was obtained. Woody individuals showed a growth rate in volume of 0,0279 ± 0,0274 m³ year-1 and palm trees, 0,0139 ± 0,0119 m³ year-1. The differences in the average annual increase in volume found between woody individuals and palm trees may be due to morphological differences that affect the secondary growth of individuals. The growth rate of trees in the urban environment is higher when compared to those in forest fragments and experimental plantings. The decrease in growth rates with increasing age was expected due to the relationship between them being of the non-linear type, following a sigmoidal model.

Macrofungal identification and species richness in Cigelung Landscape and its influence on the presence of oil palm pathogens in PTPN VIII

Dungus Iwul Nature Reserved (CADI) is a remnant patch of tropical rainforest converted into plantations with neither past data nor study in macrofungi. In this article, we explored and identified macrofungal fruitbody in CADI and PTPN VIII Oil Palm Plantation (PTPN) around the nature reserve. The inventory was carried out with the opportunistic sampling methods assisted by the line intercept. Morphological characteristics were used to identify the macrofungal fruitbodies species. We found that the species richness in the study area stood at 120, with 70 species found in CADI, 23 species in PTPN planted in 2003, and 57 species in PTPN planted in 2004. These 120 species consist of 76 genera, 41 families, 11 orders, and four classes in Subkingdom Dikarya. Schizophyllum commune and Marasmiellus candidus in CADI and S. commune in PTPN planted in 2003 and 2004 were the species found with the highest relative frequency. Neither sign of basal stem rot on oil palm trees nor Ganoderma fruitbodies were found in both PTPN study locations, even though the fruitbodies were found in CADI. Further research is needed to determine if nature reserve could be a barrier against pathogens of monoculture oil palm plantation in a similar landscape model.